


Part two - the art of living and (occasionally) letting live

by Flamme19



Series: New beginning with an old enemy [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Carl Grimes, Carl helps Negan, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Negan become Negan, POV Carl Grimes, References to Depression, Saviors Member Carl Grimes, Saviors without leader, Underage Drinking, Underage Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:41:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25208656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flamme19/pseuds/Flamme19
Summary: Carl discovers that even enemies have their nightmares. Can he help if he finds out that Negan lost everything he had, even himself?
Relationships: Carl Grimes/Negan
Series: New beginning with an old enemy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1825624
Comments: 12
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

Carl sat on the porch. It must have been a little after midnight. There was silence in the forest around him. 

Carl stretched his back and sighed painfully as he felt a crunch. Sleeping on that little damn couch was awful. Carl had no idea how long it would last. The couch was small. The blanket under which he slept was thin and scratchy. The pillow was almost empty, most of its filling disappeared somewhere. 

Carl had no idea what he was doing here. 

He should be home. In a warm bed, with a comfortable mattress, a large fluffy pillow and a soft blanket. He would be there with his little sister, with his dad. 

Instead, he was here, in a crumbling house. And with Negan. 

Whenever Carl was in a bad mood, which he had often been in recent days, to improve his mood, he imagined what his dad would have said if he had found out where Carl had escaped. The surprise would definitely be the first. Then maybe remorse? Anger? Would Dad think Carl had joined the dark side? 

And was this the dark side at all? 

Just remembering the army that was in charge of everything made Carl sick. He couldn't imagine why the people in the settlement were willing to put up with it. And why his dad even agreed to something like that. 

The sound of a growl echoed through the forest. It was far, but Carl was sure it was a walker. There were still plenty of them around, despite what the military claimed. Could their famous vaccine have failed? Carl was vaccinated, but he didn't want to go and be bitten. 

Sometimes Carl really missed the old days. Running through the woods, searching for supplies, finding safe places to hide. He fondly remembered the old house where he had taken his nearly dead dad at the time, right after the prison fiasco. So many books, games. Carl would like to hide there. Over time, he regretted not taking a few comics or books with him. In Alexandria, everyone focused on farming and gathering things for Negan. Carl liked to rummage through the things and watch what the others could find. But he never found books there that interested him. 

There was not a single book in this house. Except for Negan's bedroom, where Carl was not allowed, Carl surveyed the entire house. Negan apparently wasn't someone who suffered to read. 

Negan. 

Carl didn't expect to meet someone at some point in his life whose name would arouse so much emotion in him even after such a long time. Kind of those emotions, that was a different matter. But whether it was anger, hatred or interest, there was always so much. Carl sometimes felt like a moth attracted to a flame. And Carl was afraid. He was afraid he would end up just like the moth - he would burn out. 

Rabbit. 

With a sigh, Carl looked into the bag Negan had handed him. And there they were, dead rabbits. Carl didn't understand how Negan still managed to hunt them. And as if he hadn't wiped them out a long time ago, the amount he had brought once every few days. 

He hated rabbits. He hated them with all his heart. 

"Negan ... I don't want to sound ungrateful," Carl began cautiously. "But ... Could you ever catch something else?" 

Negan sat down on the porch with a mocking laugh. 

"But surely, what would the lord wish for? Beef? Just tell me, I'll run right now! " 

Carl sometimes felt that Negan's sarcasm was like rain. You literally soaked it with it. 

"You could have said no," Carl replied, pulling a knife from its holster at his side to gut the rabbits. 

"Maybe it would be enough for you not to ask such stupid questions," Negan replied. 

Carl swallowed another note he had on the tip of his tongue. He knew these quarrels all too well. And winning a quarrel with Negan was a superhuman task. 

"I'd like to eat something else if I could," Negan said after a few minutes of silence. "But there's nothing here but what we find around here." 

"Well ... What about the Sanctuary?" 

"What do you mean?" Negan snapped in a sharp tone. 

Carl swallowed, staring tightly at the rabbit in his hand. The theme of Negan's old home for most of the time was enough to provoke an argument. He had to be careful. 

"I remember there were a lot of supplies ... Wouldn't it be worth trying to search it there?" 

"There's nothing there," Negan replied uncompromisingly, standing up. "Finish the rabbits." 

And he went inside. 

With a sigh, Carl placed the knife next to him. Carl also missed his home. But the truth was that he gave up his home voluntarily. No one burned him to the ground before his eyes. 

Carl remembered the place well. Although the proximity of his botched assassination was not the best, the Sanctuary was certainly a wonderful place. Water, electricity, gardens. And Negan's room itself was like it was before everything went to hell. 

Carl looked at the house behind him. 

It must have been a big change. Carla wondered where the other Saviors were. They always looked completely loyal to the Negans. Wouldn't any of them really try to find him? Or did Negan not want to be found? Determined to live here, in the middle of the woods, surrounded only by trees and the broken glory of the fallen leader of the Saviors?


	2. Chapter 2

Carl remembered the moments when he started living in this house. He had so many questions! And because during the apocalypse, Dad taught him to survive rather than have social habits, he asked most of his questions as well. 

This was also the first major argument Carl had with Negan. 

Carl then asked about the Sanctuary, what had happened there. He still couldn't imagine that the army, which was supposed to help everyone, simply reached the factory, killed everyone, and set it on fire. 

Negan didn't want to answer. And Carl decided it might be enough to push him, demand an answer. 

They shouted at each other for hours that night. Carl rebuked Negan for everything he could think of. Glenn, Abraham, looting of Alexandria, Daryl. Negan repeatedly called him a fucking naive brat. 

To this day, Carl wondered if the shooting hadn't started that night. The weapons were not far. 

Eventually they went to sleep. Carl doesn't even know who slammed the door first. But in the morning, when Carl woke up on the couch, Negan was in the kitchen making breakfast. He made no mention of the quarrel. So Carl did the same and went to do his job. 

Carl never considered himself a man who was particularly empathetic. With a few exceptions, such as his family, he didn't care who thought what. But even in his innate ignorance of his surroundings, after a few weeks of living, Carl began to notice small details of Negan's behavior. 

First, and it was probably the biggest - Negan didn't have his bat. 

Carl knew well how dependent Negan was on that bat. He wore it everywhere, always. But she was nowhere in the house. Carl knew that a bat would not be an ideal weapon for hunting rabbits, but Carl knew that the bat was more of a symbol. Bat and Negan. But not now. 

Other changes were more in behavior. Carl always considered Negan a man of very fiery nature. A little crazy. But Carl was always convinced that at least half of the psycho games Negan had done were just to intimidate the people around him. Carl had to admit that it was a good tactic. Nobody wants to go against a crazy man with a bat. 

But Negan was not mad. Carl saw it in his eyes whenever they met. He saw intelligentsia and calculation there. 

However, the Negan who lived with him in the house was the almost faint shadow of Negan, who traveled to Alexandria with the Saviors, looting and killing. At first glance, everything looked the same. Mood swings, scathing remarks, vulgar words in each sentence. But whenever Carl looked a little better, he saw it. Negan was a little out of his mind. He sat outside on the porch steps, cleaning his weapons. Carl noticed that he went somewhere about once a week. He never returned with either ammunition or anything to eat. He was just gone all day. And whenever he returned, he looked older, torn by life. Carl didn't like the look. 

It reminded him of Dad. After that fiasco in prison, when only the two of them remained. Dad became an empty shell that just walked, talked, and gave unwelcome advice. But he no longer had the spark Carl knew. And it was the same with Negan. 

Carl recognized it. Negan had been weird since morning. He walked around the house, looking at the growing vegetables. Then he sat on the porch again. 

He was about to leave. 

Carl ran out of the house as Negan got up and began to leave with his weapon in hand. 

,,Where are you going?" 

"I don't think I need to confess to you." 

Carl left the answer uncommented, locking the door behind him. 

"Are you going hunting?" Can I go with you?" 

,,No. Stay here and guard the house. " 

,,I want to go with you!" 

Negan stopped and turned. 

"Damn, can't you listen ?! I don't want you to come with me! " 

That hurt. Carl stopped a short distance from Negan, watching his hardened gaze. 

"What the hell did I do to you?" 

,,What? You're crammed here! You live on my couch, you eat my food and now you're interviewing me! Can't you give me a moment alone? " 

Negan didn't wait any longer and just walked away. 

Carl took a deep breath. Why did the words hurt so much? And why was Negan so hostile? 

These were the moments when Carl wanted to return home. Somewhere where he was welcome. Not to be somewhere where someone shouted at him regularly once a day for nonsense. 

Carl looked toward the forest. Maybe he could just leave. He didn't owe Negan anything. He doubted Negan would look for him. Maybe he'd like Carl to leave. 

Carl sighed and went into the woods.


	3. Chapter 3

Following Negan was difficult. The man was on the verge of mental collapse, but he was still alert, quiet, and quick. Carl had a lot of work to do to stay far enough and close enough at the same time. 

They went for a few hours. At first, Carl didn't know where they were at all. After all, there were only trees everywhere. But then he saw it - the fence. The fence that surrounded the old factory. 

Sanctuary. 

Negan stopped at the gate for a moment. Carl hid behind the nearest tree and leaned quietly to see clearly. Was this really where Negan went? 

The factory looked deserted. The gate was destroyed, the courtyard empty, except for one overturned charred truck. Was this the work of the army? 

Negan eventually moved on. Carl waited for Negan to disappear around the corner from the factory and ran forward. He didn't know the factory and didn't want to lose Negan somewhere. 

In the end, it wasn't that difficult to watch Negan. There was always a corner, an empty room or a box where Carl could hide. And that's how he got to the main hall. 

Carl remembered the place. It was where Negan had punished the man with a hot iron. At that time, the hall was full of things and people. Now everything was gone. Several pieces of broken furniture lay on the ground, most of the remaining things were charred. Negan stopped at the gallery, sat on the floor, and leaned against the railing. 

Carl felt as if hours had passed. Negan barely moved, just looking around. Carl was sick of that look. 

How could a strong Saviors leader become this broken man? 

Carl shook his head and walked out from behind the boxes he was hiding behind. 

"Negan?" 

Negan turned his head quickly. He sighed irritably when he saw Carl. 

"Do you fucking understand when I tell you I don't want to see you?" 

Carl just shook his head and sat down next to Negan. 

"I guess I didn't hear you ..." 

Negan sighed. 

"You're so fucking stubborn ..." 

"Negan ... Can we stop this?" 

Carl was tired. He didn't want to argue with the only person he'd seen in recent weeks and lived in a small crumbling house. 

And then something scary happened. 

"I'm sorry ... I know I'm acting like a damn idiot ..." 

Carl blinked in surprise. Little did he know that Negan had that word in his dictionary. 

,,What's happening? You are weird..." 

Negan waved toward the hall. 

"This was mine. My kingdom. We were Saviors. Now what? All because of the fucking government, which has decided that it will finally be interested in what's going on with the people outside. They took everything from me. My factory, my people ... " 

Carl leaned against the railing. 

"God knows who it is at all ... They claim to be from the government but ... When it started, my group and I were at the CDC. Scientists were supposed to work there on the vaccine. Instead, there was only one and he killed himself. The other places were also out of order, the guy confirmed it. I don't know where these came from ... " 

"Do you think it's a private group?" 

Carl shrugged. 

"I don't know. They have equipment and cars, but again, nothing so big. The same amount of weapons you had. It can be anyone ... " 

"It doesn't matter now," Negan sighed. "They won. The Saviors are dead ..." 

Carl had no idea when he had been so sad the last time. Not because something happened to him personally, but because he saw someone else suffer. Now, sitting next to Negan in his factory, he fully understood what Negan had lost. Carl had previously thought that the phrase "lost everything" would be quite apt. But thinking it and seeing it were different things. It was sad. 

As the sun began to fade over the horizon, Carl and Negan headed back home. Carl thought all the way. Was this something Negan could come to use to it with? Get used to the new life where the day consisted of caring for the garden and hunting rabbits? Or will it soon destroy him, just as it destroyed his dad?


	4. Chapter 4

Carl spent another day in the garden. Negan remained locked in his bedroom, Carl not seen him all day. But working outside allowed Carl to think. 

He had never given much thought to the army. It was just a group of people who annoyed him. However, as he tried to recall the details as he worked, he realized that they were not as powerful as they had looked from the beginning. 

They didn't have many soldiers. Enough to occupy one settlement, yes. But it was a settlement where no one fought back. Everyone saw them as saviors. 

Saviors, but for whom? Definitely not for the original Saviors. 

Where could everyone be? 

Carl doubted that the army had managed to kill them all. The factory looked fairly well-preserved, the fire apparently not as terrible as it looked from Negan's story. And Negan himself said that people managed to escape. So why didn't they stay together? 

Carl managed to solve this question on his own, about two weeks after visiting the factory. Negan hadn't gone to the factory since, and Carl didn't ask why. 

Carl sat on the porch again that day, gutting the rabbits Negan had brought him that morning. Carl was busy thinking about his things. That's why he overheard the quiet footsteps behind him. It wasn't until a gun was pressed against his head from behind that he realized he wasn't alone. 

"I wouldn't be waiting for you here," a quiet male voice said. 

Carl frowned. He knew the voice! But who... 

Carl set the rabbit and knife on the floor and raised his hands. There was no point in doing anything heroic. 

,,Get up." 

Carl stood up. When the man said nothing more, Carl turned slowly. And he blinked in surprise. 

Simon! Carl would know the man everywhere. Thanks to their meeting then in the woods by the caravan. 

"Now tell me nicely what the cop's kid is doing here?" 

Carl swallowed. Where was Negan when Carl needed him! 

"I ... I live here ... About a few weeks ..." 

This answer deserved only the pressing of the barrel of the shotgun to the forehead. 

"Don't lie me, boy! Someone else should live here! So tell me what you're doing here! " 

Carl tried quickly to think of something convincing so that Simon wouldn't shoot him in the head. But then there was a click of the door. 

"What the fuck are you doing here ?!" 

Simon turned his head, but kept his gun aimed. 

,, Boss! I've been looking for you everywhere! " 

"Put that shotgun hell away! You'll knock out his other eye! " 

Simon lowered his shotgun hesitantly. Carl nodded gratefully and walked over to Negan without hesitation. 

"What is the boy doing here?" 

Negan shrugged. 

"He lives here. He has come and has been refusing to leave for several weeks. " 

Simon looked confused. Carl wasn't surprised. The last time they saw each other, it wasn't a friendly meeting. 

"Does the boy live here? With you? He's Grimes' son! " 

"Yeah, that's what I fucking noticed!" 

"I ... I was looking for you! We were all looking for you! " 

Carl sharpened. We? So there were more of them! 

,,Why?" 

,,Why? Well ... You're our boss! After what happened in the factory, we thought ... " 

"You thought wrong," Negan interrupted. "The Saviors are gone. Forget it." 

And then he went into the house and slammed the door behind him. 

Carl sighed. He hoped a little that when Negan saw his beloved Saviors, he would get a little excited. 

,,What happened to him?" 

It wasn't until a moment later that Carl realized that Simon was talking to him. 

"I don't know," he said honestly, sitting back on the porch. 

"What happened to him?" I thought he would be happy ... And why do you live here? What's going on here? " 

Carl had no idea how to explain everything to an almost stranger in a few sentences. 

"Well ... Alexandria was occupied by the military, or whoever it is. I didn't want to live there and follow their rules, so I left. I found Negan and we've lived together ever since ... " 

"Do you live together? How together? " 

Carl was silent. How to describe the hatred mixed with the strange attraction that held him in this dilapidated house? 

"Just together ... Where are the rest of the people?" 

"Why would I tell you that?" 

Carl's eyes narrowed. Simon was probably not someone from whom he could get any information. So he just took a rabbit and a knife and went into the house. 

Negan didn't say a word about Simon. In the evening they sat down at the table, Carl put the food on the plates. They ate in silence. But Carl couldn't stand it in the end. 

"Why did you send him away?" 

"Carl, we've talked about this before ..." 

"No, we didn't. I usually talk and you don't answer, "Carl said, setting the spoon aside." The guy was yours and you sent him away! " 

"And what's the matter with you, huh?" Why the hell do you care so much? " 

Carl himself did not know the answer to this question. 

"I see it's destroying you ... I saw it with my dad when we lost the prison. We had a home there, and they took it from us ... And Dad didn't want to fight back. He gave up ... " 

"I hate it when you say this clever shit." 

"I hate watching you destroy yourself," Carl snapped back. 

There was an oppressive silence in the kitchen. 

"Carl ... What do you want from me ..." 

Carl hated how tired and surrendered the man sounded. 

"I don't want anything ... I just think you have the opportunity to change something ... You shouldn't just throw it away ..." 

However, Negan just shook his head in disapproval and stood up. 

"These times are gone," he said, and went to the bedroom.


	5. Chapter 5

Carl learned a lot of new things in a few days. 

Simon and the rest of the Saviors hid near their house in several trucks. They seemed able to quickly replace those destroyed or stolen by the military. Carl found their makeshift camp in search of something useful in the woods. 

During this unexpected encounter, he was almost shot by one of the Saviors, who thought he was a spy. Fortunately, Simon was nearby and literally saved him. Subsequent explanation of who he was was difficult at best. Most of the Savior remembered him as the son of the leader of Alexandria. It was difficult to explain why he was no longer among the good boys and he ran to Negan. However, once most accepted this theory, everyone wanted to know one thing - when their boss would return. To be honest, Carl was shocked by their loyalty. 

"Why ... Why just ... I don't know, aren't you going? Why are you waiting for him? " 

Simon looked at Carl as if asking something really stupid. 

"He's our boss." 

People sitting around the fire nodded. They didn't seem willing to admit anything else. 

"I don't know if Negan thinks so," Carl said quietly, more to himself. 

,,What do you mean?" 

Carl looked hesitantly at Simon. 

"I think he gave up ... He goes to the factory, he's sitting there. He doesn't want to talk about it ... " 

"It was terrible," Simon admitted. "They broke in there at night. They hit the gate with a truck. Several cars were gone at the time, probably waiting for as few people as possible to be in the factory. They shot at rats, they didn't care. And then the fire broke out. We didn't manage to take almost anything, we just ran away. It was only because we had escape routes in the factory that so many of us survived. " 

"They never talked about it ... They came to us saying they had vaccinations and saved us. And then they took Alexandria. " 

,,Vaccination?" 

Carl nodded and pointed to his left shoulder. 

"We all got the vaccine. If a walker bites me now, nothing should happen to me. They say it's the thing the government has been working on. But I don't feel like trying ... I don't trust them ... " 

Simon laughed. 

"I'd expect something else from you." 

Carl frowned as several people around him began to laugh as well. 

,,What do you mean?" 

"I expected you to be something like your dad. Loving rules and law ... I didn't expect to find you with Negan ... " 

Carl noticed that several people smirked during Simon's last sentence. 

"I live with him, that's all," Carl said clearly. 

"Sure boy, I wouldn't have thought of anything else," Simon chuckled. 

Carl stopped by the Saviors about once a week. He walked around, sat with them, asked what was new. Every time he came, there were more people around. Carl saw the guns, saw the food. Even without Negan, the Savior seemed to be able to get up from the bottom. But something was holding them in place, in this forest, waiting. 

"You should talk to them." 

From the way Negan's gaze darkened, Carl knew he wouldn't want to talk about it. 

"When will you finally understand it's not your fucking thing!" 

"And when will you understand that these people are counting on you! You are their leader, and instead of helping them, you are sitting here! " 

,,And what should I do? Attack that damn pseudo army? " 

,,Yes!" 

Negan laughed coldly. 

"I always knew you were crazy. But I had no idea that so much ... " 

,,Crazy? Better than a coward, "Carl snapped mockingly." You're hiding here and pretending nothing's going on. I should have figured out that you're worth more. But I see that times are over ... " 

"I'm not a coward," Negan growled darkly. 

,,No? So what are you? You left your people, you ran away from everything you had. So what are you then ?! " 

As soon as Carl had finished speaking, Negan stood in front of him. Carl found himself pressed against the nearest wall. 

"Shut up ... I don't want to hurt you ..." 

Carl just laughed. 

"Do you think I'm afraid of you? Maybe once. But now? Barely..." 

Without hesitation, Negan grabbed Carl by the throat. 

"Where does it come from in you, huh? The constant desire to die, "Negan hissed, leaning closer." I should break your neck! " 

"You won't do that," Carl breathed with difficulty. 

Carl gasped as the grip tightened. Carl gripped Negan's wrist tightly, but to no avail. 

"What do you bet on that?" 

Carl wanted to say something, whatever. But he could barely breathe. 

"You've always been a fucking lunatic ... I've always seen it in you ... You can't resist the urge to go and fight ... Even if you know you'll lose ..." 

Carl saw so much emotion in Negan's eyes. It was so unreal. After those weeks of nothing and emptiness, just survival. It was almost worth dying too soon. Carl let go of Negan's hand. He didn't want to fight this fight. 

"To hell with you," Negan growled, releasing his grip. 

Carl took a deep breath, tears in his eye from the pain that throbbed in his throat. 

"It will kill you one day ..." 

"Are you afraid I'm going to die?" 

"You're a terrible brat ... So fucking terrible ..." 

Carl swallowed. Why Negan always looked so impressive when he threatened him. It was such a difference from the subdued man he had seen in recent weeks. It was as if old Negan had returned. 

"You said I shouldn't be afraid of you. That I would disappoint you ... " 

"It was different then ..." 

,,How?" 

Negan's eyes seemed to look for something in Carl's face. 

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into. You do not understand it..." 

Carl wanted to tell Negan everything. Explain to him that he understands very well what is happening around him. Tell him why he came and why he came back then. Why he never left, even though he wanted so many times. 

Instead of all those useless words, he leaned over and kissed Negan.


	6. Chapter 6

Carl sat on the couch the next morning, a sleepless night behind him. He tried to fall asleep for hours, but he couldn't think of anything but the kiss. 

Carl had kissed before. He was not as virgin as he might have looked. But it was a difference to exchange a few shy kisses with a teenage girl and have a full-fledged snuggle with an adult man. 

A few hours later, it was clear to Carl that the second part was definitely more interesting to him. Maybe the fact that Negan almost strangled him helped. Who knows... 

Negan then left. Carl wasn't offended. Negan seemed to need time to think, and Carl was the same. 

When Negan left, they went to bed with a bit of an awkward "good night." But Carl saw that Negan's gaze became a little more vivid. Definitely more than in all the time he lived here. Was that the kiss? Or maybe a little fight that reminded Negan of the good old days? Maybe it would be enough to push Negan a little in the right direction ... 

"I need to find the bat." 

Simon set down the can of food and raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"A bat?" 

"Negan's bat! I need to find out where she is! " 

Carl didn't like the way Simon's gaze darkened. 

"I'll save you time searching. When there was a fight ... One of those soldiers found her. He threw her in the oven ... " 

Carl exhaled in surprise. Did they burn Lucille? It was like throwing Negan in there! 

"Damn ..." 

"Why did you want to find her?" 

"I wanted to bring him the bat ..." 

"I thought of that, too," Simon nodded. 

Carl thought. How hard could it be to find another bat around? 

Complicated. Carl left the house, saying that on the way from Alexandria to the house he saw some shops and wanted to go see it. Surprisingly, Negan just nodded and continued to work. 

Carl was eventually out of the house for three days. He walked around, avoiding walkers, until he finally found a group of shops he had once seen on the way to Alexandria. They looked looted, but Carl still went inside. One never knew what one could find. 

The shops were almost empty. The floor was covered with shards of broken shop windows and dirt. There was a dead walker in one of the shops. But there was nothing Carl was looking for. 

Carl eventually settled in the last store, which looked like a clothing store. He had to admit that his expedition would probably not be successful. After all, the bat was something every reasonable person would take first. 

Carl sat down in the chair behind the counter and looked around. He was tired. Tired and dirty. He had no idea why he was doing this. He might not care. It was just a stupid bat. The bat that killed his friends. 

That was the primary reason he came here. Find Negan and punish him for his crimes. But when did punishment become an attempt to help? 

Carl hated it. Before, when he was little and his dad was a cop, everything was clear. Like black and white. Those who were imprisoned by his father were villains. Those his dad praised were good guys. 

So why is Dad praising the bad guys now? And why did Carl deal with it like that at all? Maybe if he tried harder, he changed, he could live with other people in Alexandria. Growing vegetables, caring for Judith, dating Enid. He would be normal, like everyone around him. 

But was Carl normal at all? Carl remembered the words Negan had told him just before the kiss. Was he really a madman who longed for a fight? 

Carl looked around with a sigh. He should come back. Return home to that crappy little house and forget about it all. Maybe Negan could change, too. Get used to that quiet life and forget everything he once had and did ... 

Carl's gaze stopped at the ajar door to the back room of the store. It looked like an office. Overturned filing cabinet, table, ruined chair. And in the midst of it all, a bat lay on the ground. 

Carl laughed hysterically. Was it supposed to be some damn sign of destiny? 

Carl finally took the bat and some small things he found in the office. Nothing important for survival, but at least it didn't seem to come back empty-handed. 

On the way back, the area was quiet. Carl was preoccupied with his thoughts, until at last he stopped paying a little attention. As a result, he eventually tripped over the remains of a fence that led through the woods. With a silent curse, Carl rose from the ground and dusted his clothes. He just glanced at the fence. And he froze. 

It was more like stakes hammered into the ground. And there was barbed wire wrapped around one of those poles. 

Carl leaned against a nearby tree, staring at the wire. What would happen if he did nothing? Did he leave the wire, the bat and leave things as they are now? Wouldn't that be better in the end? No one in Alexandria would want Negan to return to power. 

With a sigh, Carl finally placed the bat on the ground. It was a damn idea.


	7. Chapter 7

Noise of moving cars. That was the first thing that caught Carl's attention. That day he was sitting with Negan by the fireplace, working on the rabbit skins that had accumulated at home. Carl slowly put down his knife while Negan was already on his feet. 

,,What the hell..." 

"Sounds like trucks," Carl muttered softly, rising from the couch. 

Negan reached for the rifle that was hidden behind the door. After a while, the sound of trucks stopped. Footsteps could be heard. According to the sound, it must have been a lot of people. 

"Who the fuck is that," muttered Negan. 

Carl swallowed. He felt him sweat. Why the hell was he sweating ?! 

There was a sudden silence outside. Carl watched as Negan tried to see something through a single window that led out from this side of the house. Unfortunately, they had to beat him back a few days because of the broken glass. 

"Don't stand there for God's sake and find a weapon," Negan hissed. 

Carl staying at the couch. Negan looked like he was going to add something. But then they both heard it. 

"I'm Negan!" 

Negan turned sharply toward the door. Carl swallowed again. 

,,What the..." 

Negan finally opened the door and went out onto the porch, Carl hesitantly behind him. 

The Saviors stood in front of the house, all of them. Several parked trucks stood in the clearing. And in front of them was Simon. 

Carl didn't remember seeing Negan so surprised. The man seemed to disbelieve what he saw. But then Negan's head slowly turned to Carl, who was standing in the doorway. 

"Do you have anything to do with this shit?" 

Carl shrugged hesitantly. He took a deep breath and pulled a bat from behind his back, which he had previously hidden under the sofa. 

,,Maybe..." 

Negan took the bat in his hand, a look of pure surprise on his face. 

,,Where are you..." 

"Simon told me what happened to Lucille ... I thought the new Lucille might be a good start ..." 

Negan turned back to the Saviors, who were standing in front of the house. And in the end, he just laughed. 

Carl no longer hoped to hear such a sincere laugh again. 

Negan put the bat on his shoulder and walked over to Simon, who nodded at him with a smile. Carl was surprised at how excited all the Saviors looked. 

"I think it's time to settle some fucking bills," Negan said. 

"I did not expect him to agree.” 

Carl laughed and threw the rest of the things in the house into the box. 

"I was afraid he would find the bat. I stuffed her under the couch. " 

Simon patted him on the shoulder and helped him pack the rest of it. 

Carl finally threw the rest of the things into the box and looked at Negan, who was standing outside solving something with his people. He looked better. More like his old self than the sad depressed man who lived in this house. 

"Will you come with us?" 

Carl turned to Simon. 

"I ... I didn't think about it ..." 

Living with Negan was one thing. Helping him back to the position of Saviors leader was second. But going with them to the Sanctuary was the third. 

"I think he'd like you to come with us ..." 

,,What do you mean?!" 

Simon shrugged with a smirk and took the box in his arms. 

"I don't think anything. I'm just looking." 

And with that sentence, he left. Carl just shook his head. What did that mean he was watching? What is he watching? Or rather who? 

Carl looked outside again. And so he saw Negan watching him. 

Maybe a little trip to the Sanctuary wouldn't hurt ...


	8. Chapter 8

Carl spent the last week cleaning. It was a tiring, dirty, and annoying activity, but it also had several benefits.  
The main thing was probably the fact that he got to know other Saviors better. At the first meeting, it seemed that most did not believe that Carl was on their side. But as the story of how Carl put together the whole meeting with Negan spread like wildfire, most people seemed to be tolerating him at the very least. Unfortunately, Carl noticed too late that the longer the story circulated around the factory, the less it had to do with reality. Because Negan didn't really save him from the horde of walkers!  
The Savior he talked to the most besides Simon was probably Arat. The woman reminded him a little of Carol. From the first meeting, it was clear to Carl that Arat was one hundred percent devoted to the whole cult of the Saviors. Maybe a little fanatically, to Carl's taste, but Carl wasn't stupid enough to question it.

Arat proved to be good company. While the rest did cleaning the main areas to give everyone a place to sleep, Arat led Carl sideways and tasked him with preparing the armory.  
The room with the weapons was completely empty. There were only a few overturned shelves and empty boxes left, nothing more.  
"Shit ... They took everything from here ..."  
Carl walked through the room. Someone was obviously really trying.  
,,Nothing left?"  
Arat smiled mysteriously and nodded out the door.  
"We'll see. Come on. "

To Carl's surprise, they ended up in the kitchen. This room looked as devastated as the others. Carl had no idea what to look for here.  
"What are we doing here?"  
Arat pointed to a spot by the wall, where there was only a dirty concrete floor. And then she handed Carl a demolition hammer.  
,,You can start."  
Carl picked up the hammer and tilted his head a little silly.  
,,What do you want from me?"  
"Break the floor," Arat said slowly with a smirk. "I'm a woman, I don't want to ruin my nails."  
Carl just snorted and walked to where Arat had shown him.  
Carl had never worked with a hammer in his life. At least he wasn't trying to break the concrete floor with it. It must have taken him an incredibly long time, his hands ached, there was a lot of dust everywhere. But Arat said nothing. Carl thought Arat was just enjoying the sight.  
After more minutes of work, Carl saw what was going on. When the concrete broke enough, a metal box appeared in the rubble. Arat helped Carl clear the broken concrete, and they finally pulled the box out.  
"What's in it?" Carl asked breathlessly, tossing the hammer beside the ground.  
Arat opened the box with a little effort and pointed inside.  
Carl gasped in surprise.  
The box was full of weapons. Handgun, rifle, submachine gun. And bullets, lots of bullets.  
,,Where..."  
"Didn't you think we left everything in the armory?" Arat laughed. "Just keep going, there are three more boxes."  
Carl blinked in surprise. He had to admit it was damn smart.

"We need to know everything you know about them."  
Carl took a breath and looked around. They sat around a long metal table. Simon, Negan, Arat, other Saviors. It seemed like a sort of war meeting.  
So Carl started. He described how the army got to them, talked about the vaccinations that everyone received. He told them about the supplies that went to Alexandria once in a while.  
"Sounds like not many people," Simon said after a moment's silence.  
"There are about ... Ten in Alexandria? They take care of distributing supplies to other people in the settlement. Plus five more, local police. "  
"I guess your dad does it, doesn't he?"  
Carl rolled his eyes at the irony of Negan's question.  
"Yes, my dad is a cop again. He was a lousy gardener and not much of a leader, so now he's a cop. They don't have many weapons. Some rifles and small arms, some ammunition. I took one rifle and a few boxes of ammunition ... "  
"Good idea ... But I still don't understand how you found Negan so fast? We've been looking for him for weeks! "Simon said.  
Carl didn't even tell this part of the story to Negan himself.  
"I ... I heard from my dad talking to a few people who brought food and things to us for exchange. They were talking about someone who could be Negan. It was enough to go in that direction ... "  
Everyone seemed satisfied with the answer. Negan just smiled slyly. Carl hoped Negan wouldn't start talking about the original reason Carl showed up at his door.  
"Well," Simon nodded, "we can handle ten people. There are almost fifty of us. We have weapons. But more weapons would be useful ..."  
"But you have to reckon with Grimes and his small group of warriors," Negan stopped him. "The guy won't watch us kill his beloved government. They may have weapons hidden somewhere, just like we ..."  
"No," Carl interrupted. "Dad gave them everything. They only have it in the armory. Dad thinks they're good guys, so if they want weapons to defend Alexandria, Dad gave them to them."  
"Are you serious?" Negan asked in surprise. "The guy's an asshole, but he's not a fool. He must have been a little suspicious ..."  
"I think he just caught the idea that the apocalypse was over. When everyone was vaccinated, Dad established a garden behind the house and grew vegetables. He doesn't want to fight anymore, nobody wants to go there. They are glad that someone else takes care of their defense ... "  
Negan just laughed. But Carl was silent. He could understand the desire. Not everyone wanted to wade in the blood of walkers and enemies every day. Dad was glad he finally had a place where he could let the children play on the street without worrying that someone would kill them. That they have enough food. At least most of them.  
Could Carl's actions have ruined everything? He wasn't naive, he knew what would happen if the Saviors won. Alexandria will have to fight and if they lose, they will have to submit.  
"As we know, the rest of those people are in Hilltop. Altogether about a hundred. We assume that they are people who are good at fighting. If we want to capture and destroy them, we must be successful. As soon as they find out we're back, they'll come here. At that moment, there must be as few of them as possible and as many of us as possible. "  
"I know of a few other people who could join us," Arat said. "I met them in search of others. They said they used to live with someone who called himself the Governor."  
"Governor?" Carl shouted in surprise.  
"Do you know him?" Simon asked.  
,,Yeah. That bastard killed several of our people and blew up our prison with a tank. Then he died. "  
"Tank?" Negan asked with interest. "Is it still working?"  
"Daryl destroyed it," Carl grinned.  
"That hunter will destroy everything," Negan snorted.  
"Okay, that shit with the tank is dead. But what about his people. Do you think they're worth anything? I don't want any psychopaths among us. "  
"No?" Carl asked, slightly ironically.  
"You're enough for me," Negan winked.  
Carl just rolled his eyes.  
"I don't know what they are. The governor was a jerk. But I don't know much about the rest ... "  
"Um ... Arat, take a few people with you and try to meet them. Ask about the conditions and this bullshit. You'll see what it looks like. We can always regret a few people ... "  
Arat nodded.  
"Okay, okay ... We can try to take care of the supply truck first. How many people ride in it? "  
"About five. They used to drive more things, now they tend to take them away. Food and the like. It's like a protection fee. "  
"That's my system," Negan muttered.  
"Well ... You could say that. People are grateful to them for that vaccination. "  
"Does anyone even know what they vaccinated for you?" Arat asked suspiciously.  
"I don't know ... the bite vaccine is said to be. The tech walker could bite me and nothing should happen to me. But I'm not going to try. I don't really trust them to be true. As I told Negan, we were at the CDC headquarters. They worked on it there and in the end there was only one scientist. He figured out how the transformation into a walker worked, but he couldn't find a cure. The remaining centers were out of order. So I don't know where they should invent the cure. "  
"They could just inject them with penicillin," Simon said after a moment's thought. "It won't do or hurt anything.  
Carla froze at the thought. Did they really cheat on them?  
"We have to watch them. Simon, take a few people with you too. I want to know when they travel to Alexandria, how long they've been there, if the people in the truck are still the same. "  
As soon as Negan had finished, Simon nodded, got up, and left. The rest soon followed, and in the end only Carl and Negan remained at the table. It was the first time they had arrived at the Sanctuary when they were alone.  
"We didn't have much time to talk ..."  
Carl stared at the nearby dirty window.  
,,What do you mean?"  
Negan got up slowly and began to walk around the table. Carl felt a chill run down his spine.  
"I was wondering if you would like to join us officially. As you can see, we are expanding the range ... "  
Carl stared at the window as Negan's palms appeared on his shoulders.  
,,What does it involve?"  
"I usually find out if a new person can be of any use to me ... But I think you've already proven it ... A lot of people here should be grateful to you ... Me too ..."  
Carl didn't do it all to make him grateful. In fact, he hadn't thought too much about why he'd done it all. Maybe he didn't even want to think about it much. It was easier than admitting some things.  
"What if you came with me? There are a few places I want to walk ... You can come with me ... "  
Carl nodded and stood up slowly. A little walk wouldn't have to hurt.


	9. Chapter 9

The first point of the factory tour was Negan's bedroom. Or at least what's left of it. The whole room looked looting. Most of the furniture was gone, there were some torn clothes on the floor. All that remained was the frame of the large bed. The mattress was gone, but the frame remained in place. Probably because it was so big. 

"Well ... It's a difference ..." Carl said uncertainly. 

"Just say it, it looks fucking bad," Negan waved, kicking into what looked like a piece of broken chair. "Damn bastards. Who breaks someone's bedroom ... " 

Carl sat on the edge of the bed frame. 

"It looks more like personal revenge ... I understand if they stole those things. But half the things in the factory are just broken or set on fire. Isn't there someone you've upset about? " 

Instead of answering, Negan placed a bat on his shoulder and grinned. 

"True," Carl sighed. "You have too many enemies ..." 

"Having enemies means you've achieved something." 

Carl tilted his head in thought. Could it be true? At one time, his dad had a lot of them. It was also a time when they had the best time as a group. 

"What do you want to do with this place?" 

"If you mean the bedroom, I'd like a bed to begin with." 

"Yeah, the bed is always nice," Carl nodded thoughtfully. 

Thanks to the fact that everything was stolen from the factory, everyone slept on the ground in the main hall. The gate was still not repaired, so it was safe to be together. Carl didn't complain, but in retrospect he regretted that they hadn't loaded the old couch on which he slept in the house. 

A pat on the shoulder tore Carl from thought. Negan stopped in front of him and leaned the bat against the bed frame. 

"Don't worry. When I first came, there was nothing but a lot of the dead bastards. We did it once, we can do it a second time. " 

"Such enthusiasm," Carl smiled. "A few weeks ago, you didn't want anything to do with all this ..." 

"Everyone has dark moments at times." 

That was true, Carl knew it from personal experience. He had more than enough of them in his life. 

"What do you think of your joining the Saviors?" 

Carl raised his head to look into Negan's eyes. 

"Do you need to have an official one?" 

"I long to see the expression of the people of Alexandria when they see you by my side ... It will be a fucking great day ..." 

Carl just shook his head. It was like a pissing competition between Negan and Dad. In addition, Carl could well imagine the expression on the spot, he didn't even have to go to Alexandria. 

"I don't understand why you enjoy humiliating him so much ..." 

"Don't say you've never done anything like that ... I can see it in your eyes ..." 

Carl knew he had used the opportunity several times to make things work for him. But that was different from what Negan was doing, wasn't it? 

"Exactly as I thought," Negan laughed softly, running his fingers through Carl's long hair. "When I saw you there in that truck, determined to kill everyone around me ... I hadn't seen anything so fascinating in a long time. . " 

Carl swallowed. He liked it when someone touched his hair. But for a long time, no one did it as pleasantly as Negan. 

"I almost wanted to let you attack. I'd bet everything I had back then that it wouldn't end with just two dead people. You had such a beautiful desire for blood in your eye ... I was almost sorry I couldn't let you kill more of my people. " 

Negan's fingers gripped Carl's hair and tugged slightly. It was like an ideal boundary between pain and pleasure. 

"It's a pity you didn't have a chance to show what's in you. It could be fucking art ... " 

Negan leaned closer, and Carl slowly closed his eyes. He enjoyed the light touch he felt on his lips. 

"I think you would have a beautiful future with us ..." 

"With the Saviors, or with you?" 

Negan grinned darkly and tightened his grip on Carl's hair until Carl was forced to tilt his head deep back. 

,,Clever boy..." 

Carl let out a soft moan. Except for Negan's hand, they didn't touch, yet it was like an electric shock. 

Negan ran his other hand over his scarred skin under the bandage. 

"Isn't that unnecessary?" 

Carl wanted to turn away, but the grip on his hair only intensified. 

"You know what's in there," he muttered 

,,I know. You know that too. So why hide it? " 

"It's disgusting. You said it yourself, "Carl muttered angrily. 

"That's what I said," Negan chuckled, and without permission, began to push the bandage away. "But I told you other things, too." 

"That I won't succeed with women?" 

"And do you want to be successful?" 

Carl knew full well that the question was a trap. Yet he shook his head slightly, as much as the grip in his hair allowed. 

"Right, good boy," Negan muttered with an evil smile, kissing Carl again.


	10. Chapter 10

Less than two weeks later, Carl was back at the war table. This time he was only there with Negan and Simon. 

"So, the same truck crew still goes to Alexandria. Five people, as Carl said. But there are only two armed. The rest will not be a problem. The other half of the group watched Hilltop. They have about five trucks. The layout of the buildings remained the same, so an advantage for us. " 

Carl was amazed at Simon's accurate information. The man was really good! 

,,Great. So the first truck will not be a problem. Just catch them somewhere near the forest. I'm worried about HIlltop. So how many bastards are there? Someone said a hundred! Don't tell me a hundred people can fit in one house! " 

"According to the people who watched it there, there will be a maximum of fifty. But they have a lot of weapons, mostly ours ... " 

"When was the attack on the factory?" Carl asked suddenly. 

"I mean ... Shortly after we took your group to the woods?" Why do you ask? "Simon asked. 

"That would be appropriate ... Just some time after that forest, they showed up at our place. Trucks, weapons. I always felt that the trucks were familiar to me, but I didn't deal with it ... " 

"Do you think they stole weapons and cars first and then went after you?" 

Carl nodded. 

"It would fit in time. I don't know what they raided the factory with, but Arat said they had one truck with which they broke through the gate. If they surprised you, maybe they didn't have as many weapons as it might look ... " 

Negan's gaze darkened. 

"Why do I have such a fucking feeling that someone just wanted to take over our business ..." 

Simon nodded slowly. 

"But why would they invent such shit with a vaccine and a lie about being from the government? They could have done it like we have! " 

"We welcomed them," Carl said thoughtfully. "When you were supposed to drive, people wanted to defend themselves. When they arrived, Dad opened the gate for them. " 

"If I knew that, I could pretend to be the new president, too," Negan nodded with a laugh. 

"No one would believe you," Carl said with an amused laugh. 

But then he became serious. 

"I think as soon as the supply truck doesn't show up, people will realize that something is wrong. Not just the rest of the group on Hilltop, but the people of Alexandria too. " 

"But they don't have weapons," Negan said contentedly. 

"Most of the time we didn't have guns and we won," Carl said proudly. 

"Stubborn," Negan nodded with an ironically loving look. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Carl saw Simon hiding a smirk behind a cough. 

"Well, let's just say it's best to destroy the soldiers first, without the people of Alexandria noticing. Then, when they know that no one will come to the rescue, hopefully everything will be back on track. " 

"We know how to deal with them if they defend themselves," Negan waved. 

Simon nodded. Carl tried not to think about what the words meant. Planning was one thing, doing it was another. 

"Well, the next supply should be tomorrow. We'll wait for them under the hill. It's far enough from Alexandria and Hilltop that no one can see us. Then we'll attack Hilltop, "Negan decided, standing up. 

Carl and Simon did the same. As Simon began to discuss the attack, Carl headed for the armory behind Arat. Preparing weapons could sufficiently distract him. 

Carl sat with Negan behind a tree near the road. They had been waiting for almost an hour for the truck to go to Alexandria. They placed a fallen tree in his path. Everything seemed innocent enough that the people in the truck didn't immediately try to escape and the Saviors had time for a surprise attack. It was a good plan, and Carl couldn't disagree. But the wait ... 

"I hate it," Carl muttered softly, sitting up so he wouldn't be sitting at the root of a tree. "They should have been here by now." 

"He doesn't drive at the same time, he just drives in the afternoon. You know that well, "Negan said in an equally quiet voice. 

Carl looked around. He saw several Saviors, as well as their own truck hidden in the woods so that he could not be seen from the road. 

"I hate it anyway." 

"If it pleases you, you can shoot first. We will not take any prisoners here. You can shoot them all if it excites you. " 

"I'm not excited about killing," Carl snapped indignantly. "I'm not you." 

Negan leaned closer and rested his head on Carl's shoulder. 

,,Really? I can almost hear how fast your heart is beating. You've checked your weapon about ten times already. Admit it, you're looking forward to it ... " 

"I just want to be ready," Carl said weakly, trying to ignore Negan's warm breath on his neck. 

"But you know you're ready ... Don't say you don't want to see them dead ..." 

That was something Carl had admitted a few days ago. He had little doubt about killing the people who attacked the Saviors. After all, he was one of them now. 

"I do," Carl nodded slowly. 

"See, good boy." 

Carl had no idea what to say. But the sound of an oncoming truck saved him. 

It was all in the blink of an eye. The truck stopped, five men climbed out. For a while, they seemed to be agreeing to just get the tree out of the way. 

And at that moment, the Saviors attacked. 

In retrospect, it was clear that Negan had taken too many people with him. Twenty to five was not fair. But Carl understood that certainty was certainty. 

As soon as the shooting started, the first two men fell to the ground. The rest managed to hide behind a truck. Carl took advantage of this, and while the soldiers resisted shooting from the front, he snuck out of the rear with Negan and began firing. 

It was a short fight. In a few minutes, the dead soldiers lay on the ground, and the Saviors set out to inspect their truck. 

"Just some nonsense, some canned food. And weapons. There were two rifles inside, "Simon announced after a moment. 

Negan sighed and hid his weapon. 

"Nothing big, but better than nothing. We'll take the truck to us. I want five people in it, just in case. The rest will go with us to Hilltop. The rest of the people are waiting for us there. " 

Carl looked at the slain soldiers on the ground. Some looked suspiciously young. But was this ideal age at all in this world? 

"Looks like you only hit one of the three," Negan said from behind Carl. 

"Just because you stuffed yourself in front of me," Carl said angrily. 

"I wanted to protect you so that nothing would happen to you," Negan said solemnly. "After all, you are our newest and youngest member. As a community, we must respect you!" 

"Did you come up with this shit yourself?" 

Negan gasped in false surprise. 

"Who can teach you such fucking vulgar language ?!" 

"I don't know, I used to live with an old guy. He shouted at me almost every day. Apparently it could have happened at that time ... " 

,, An old guy? Youth, without respect for the elders, "Negan sighed in a hurt voice." Come or I'll decide to tie you to a tree and leave you there. " 

"Sure," Carl sighed.


	11. Chapter 11

It was a short drive to Hilltop. Carl sat in the truck, watching the clouds begin to gather in the sky. 

,,It will rain." 

Negan snorted and shifted gears. 

"Are you a tree frog now that predicts the weather?" 

"If it rains, the fight will be harder. There will be mud everywhere. There are no asphalt roads on Hilltop, "Carl replied sarcastically. 

"I've fought in worse conditions before," Negan shrugged. 

,,Whats the plan?" 

"I've prepared something special for them," Negan laughed happily. Most of those people are supposed to be in the house. So just set the fucking house on fire! " 

Carl watched as the first drops of rain fell on the windshield of the truck. 

"I don't know how it will burn in the rain," Carl murmured doubtfully. 

"If I want it to burn, it will burn," Negan assured him. 

By the time they reached Hilltop, several other trucks were standing at the edge of the forest. Negan parked next to them and they both got out. 

Simon stood closest and headed for them immediately. 

"They haven't found anything yet. The truck shouldn't be back in a few hours, so we have an advantage. " 

Negan nodded and followed Arat, who was standing by another truck handing out weapons. Carl looked around. Everyone was here. Carl knew that everything they had was loaded in trucks. In case the attack failed, the army could not steal anything from the factory a second time - there was nothing there. It was Arat's idea, and Carl thought it was brilliant. 

,,Are you ready?" 

Carl looked away from the trucks and turned to Simon. 

,,Yeah..." 

"The first raid?" 

Carl laughed. 

"Yeah, the first raid ..." 

Simon patted Carla on the shoulder. 

"Just don't think too much and shoot. We don't care who survives. There is no one you need to consider. So just shoot. " 

Then Simon left. Carl closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm his beating heart. 

So here it was. His first fight for the Saviors. Carl hoped wholeheartedly that it would not be the last. 

,, Carl? Come with me." 

Carl followed Negan behind the farthest truck. As soon as they were both out of sight, Negan pushed Carl onto the truck and kissed him deeply. Carl just wrapped his arms around Negan's neck and returned the kiss. 

"A kiss for good luck," Negan laughed softly. 

"These things don't work," Carl said with his own smile. 

"You don't know what the fuck you say," Negan said, then leaned into one of the boxes in the truck. 

"I recently found something for you in the armory." 

Carl blinked in surprise as Negan put the submachine gun in his hands. 

,,Submachine gun? Wouldn't something more accurate be better? " 

Negan waved. 

"I'll have people on the gallery for that. They'll get there as soon as we break through the gates. They are my best snipers. You're coming with me. " 

"And that means what?" 

"That I don't want to take your eyes off you," Negan said, his tone suddenly quite urgent. 

"I'm not a child," Carl snapped. "I don't need to hide behind you so that nothing happens to me!" 

"And what are you going to do if you're left alone somewhere ?!" 

Without hesitation, Carl picked up the submachine gun he was holding. 

"I'll get out." 

Negan sighed and rubbed his face. 

"You're going to do what you want anyway, aren't you?" 

Carl just nodded resolutely. 

Negan sighed a little theatrically again and handed Carl spare magazines to the submachine gun. 

,,Good. I'll leave it up to you. Because you're a big boy and you can do what the fuck you want. Just don't get killed. " 

Carl's attitude softened when he heard the hidden concerns in Negan's voice. 

,,Do not worry. You promised me a comfortable life and world domination. I want to wait for it. " 

"I didn't talk about world domination," Negan said with a smirk. 

But Carl gladly saw that his worries were gone. 

"Like you ever have less ambition," Carl winked. "Come on, I'm nervous about this. I want it over with." 

Negan nodded and took Carl by the shoulders as they returned to the group. Carl steadfastly ignored Arat's grin and Simon's wink. 

Carl, along with Negan and a group of Saviors, ran to the fence that surrounded Hilltop and hid to the right of the gate. Another group did the same and hid on the left. With bated breath, Carl watched as a truck pulled out of the edge of the woods and headed for the gate at full speed. 

"Prepare," Negan muttered, waving at the second group, led by Simon. 

Simon nodded. Everyone turned their backs on the gate as the truck drove through. The wound was deafening. Carl covered his ears to protect himself from the sound of creaking metal. 

The Saviors immediately ran after the truck. Carl ran with them, hiding behind the first pile of boxes he had seen. As he looked around from behind the crates, he saw a truck heading into a house on a hill without signs of slowing down. 

Carl watched in shock as the bricks flew around, the white pillars cracked, and the balcony supported by the pillars fell onto the truck. 

Several men ran out of the house and gunfire began. Five, ten, twenty. The soldiers appeared as if from nowhere. Carl took a deep breath, aimed, and fired. 

Cal managed to hit several soldiers. As soon as he looked around and made sure it was safe, he ran out from under the crates and ran to a small wooden shed. 

Then there was an explosion. Carl watched in shock as the large multi-storey house was engulfed in flames. 

Several soldiers were thrown away by the pressure wave of the explosion. The Saviors took advantage of most of them advanced. Carl waited for nothing and opened fire again, trying to prevent the soldiers from escaping. In the distance, he saw Carl Negan running forward with the Saviors to the remaining soldiers hiding behind his truck. 

Carl dropped the empty magazine and quickly replaced it. 

,, Carl! Come on! " 

Carl nodded at Simon, who was running around and walking with him to the others. 

The remaining soldiers retreated to the low buildings that stood by the large house, ran away to hide inside. 

Carl ran to Negan, who shouted orders at the people around him. When he saw Carl, he grabbed his shoulders and examined him carefully. 

,,Are you ok?" 

Carl nodded. 

,,Do not worry. What about them?" 

"They're hiding like fucking rats! But we caught two, "Negan added with an evil grin and nodded back. 

Carl looked back. Several Saviors stood by the fence, and two soldiers knelt on the ground in front of them. 

"Prisoners?" 

Negan nodded and loaded his own weapon. 

"I want to know who's behind this fucking theater. I'll get it from them. " 

Carl didn't doubt, thanks to Negan's determined gaze. Instead, he nodded at the low houses. 

,,What about them? They probably won't come out voluntarily ... " 

Simon then appeared next to them and pointed to the bottles in his hand. Carl's eyes widened in surprise. 

Molotov cocktails. 

Simon nodded wordlessly at the Saviors around. Several of them took the bottles, lit a rag, and threw the bottles on the house. 

Carl watched with strange fascination as the bottles shattered against the house and the building was engulfed in flames. 

"Get ready, this will be your job," Negan said after another bottle landed on the houses. 

Carl wanted to ask what he should prepare for. Confused, he watched as the Saviors nodded around and lowered their weapons. But then the door of one of the houses slammed open and several soldiers ran out. 

Carl had no idea how it happened. But suddenly he was standing there, aiming his weapon. It was enough to fire several times and the soldiers fell to the ground, dead. 

Carl lowered his weapon and exhaled a breath he had no idea he held all the time. There was silence around the settlement. All that could be heard was the sound of a crackling fire and the silent conversation of the Saviors.


	12. Chapter 12

"Maybe setting the house on fire wasn't such a good idea ..."  
Carl laughed ironically. No, that fucking wasn't a good idea.  
When the battle was over, Carl finally had a chance to take a good look at the damage they had done to Hilltop. And it was devastating. The gate and the piece of fencing were broken into pieces, the smaller houses were half demolished and burned. The large house on the hill was badly damaged by a truck crash and an explosion.  
Thanks to that, the question of the weapons they had to find came to the fore. And the weapons, they later found, were in the house where the truck was parked.  
"Great ... Who's going there now? It could fall, "Carl snorted, sitting on the ground.  
"If you keep talking, you'll go there," Negan growled angrily.  
But Carl just rolled his eyes. He did not intend to climb into any demolished house, for weapons or anything else.  
"Boss, they're ready."  
Negan nodded and went with Simon to question two soldiers kneeling nearby.  
Carl followed them and stopped at Arat, who was assembling the weapons they found thrown around.  
,,OK?"  
Arat just waved.  
"This was hardly my first rodeo. In fact, it seemed to me that most of those would-be soldiers sucked. When they saw the explosion, most of them literally dropped their weapons and fled. Who the fuck would drop a gun and run away ?! "  
Carl thought about it right after the fight. What Arat said was true.  
"I noticed that when we arrived, no one even watched the gallery ... It's weird ... They were supposed to be professional soldiers ... It sounds like a bunch of guys from the surrounding settlements ..."  
"We'll find out soon enough, Negan started asking questions."  
Carl turned his head to watch the scene in front of him.  
Negan paced the two soldiers here and there, swinging his bat in front of their eyes. Amused, Carl noticed that they were both watching the bat like dogs.  
"So, I have an easy question for you. Who is your leader? "  
One of the men shook his head, the other began to cry. That was pathetic for Carl. After all, Negan hasn't done anything yet!  
Negan and the Saviors around him began to laugh. The other man began to sob even more.  
"Well, you obviously heard me wrong! So - one last try. Who's in charge here! "  
The bat slammed just in front of the first man to shout, trying to crawl away. He only got hit in the back and was dragged back.  
"He's not here!" Shouted the other man with fear on his face. "He's not here!"  
Negan smiled contentedly and leaned closer.  
"And I'm sure you'll be gonna tell me where it is, aren't you?"  
The man looked at the soldier next to him. Then he just shook his head and bowed his head.  
Negan shook his head in displeasure.  
"Why are they always so fucking stubborn ... I don't have time for that today."  
And then he just reached out and hit the first soldier with a bat on the head.  
The other man shouted in horror, trying to get away. However, several Saviors held him in place while Negan smashed his colleague's head.  
It occurred to Carla somewhat inappropriately that this was the first beaten head with a new Lucille. He seemed to have chosen the bat well.  
For a moment, only blunt blows echoed through the surroundings. With the last blow, Negan swung his bat, and the blood that covered her splashed in the other man's face. The man shouted again and collapsed to the ground with another cry.  
"So," Negan breathed, placing a bat on the soldier's shoulder. "Speak."  
"Alexandria ... He's in Alexandria!"  
Negan nodded and wiped the end of the bat on the soldier's face.  
"And does the mysterious commander have a fucking name?"  
"I don't know ... I don't know his name ... I saw him once when he came here with some people! Please believe me! "  
The man collapsed to the ground again in a fit of crying and sobbing. Negan shook his head in disgust and wiped the bat on his jacket. Then he nodded at the Saviors around. They grabbed the soldier and dragged him away.  
"We'll take him with us. Either he points to someone or he will be a warning example ... Take what you can and we're leaving!"

"I feel bad about it ..."  
Carl looked questioningly at Negan, who was sitting next to him on the gallery around the main hall of the factory.  
It was night, and it was Carl and Negan who had a shift on patrol inside. The other part of the patrol walked around the factory.  
"What do you think?" Carl asked quietly.  
"It was too easy. Not that I'm not fucking grateful. I didn't want to see my people die. But there were about forty soldiers. Except for one bastard, they're all dead. And we only have a few injured. "  
"Be glad. We also have almost no medication or bandages."  
"Yeah, I'm fucking positive and sunny. But isn't that suspicious to you? They looked like an army. They had a truck, our weapons, a background. And in a few minutes we shot them like dogs. "  
"Arat said the same thing. He thinks that in the end they were not soldiers, but only people from the surrounding settlements. I'm glad we won and everything around, but something doesn't suit me ... "  
Carl leaned closer and rested his head on Negan's shoulder.  
,,Do not think about it. We're going to Alexandria tomorrow. You can open the door and announce your return in bulk. I bet everyone will be in a trance when they see you. "  
"Since you've been with us, you've become a terrible person."  
Carl could only laugh at that.  
"Don't blame the Saviors for this, this is your job."  
"You're going to have to excuse me, but somehow I don't feel bad about it."  
"Of course not," Carl nodded, closing his eyes for a moment.  
He was so tired! But it was fair for everyone to take turns patrolling.  
"I'm glad nothing happened to you ..."  
"Stop it," Carl smiled, his eyes still closed. "Someone's starting to think you care about me."  
"Does it matter?"  
"It doesn't fit your image as a ruthless leader."  
,, Fuck image. If it weren't for you, if you hadn't forced yourself into that fucking house, I'd probably have shot myself ... "  
"Don't say that," Carl snapped, raising his head.  
"I know ... Damn it ... But when I look back ... I felt like I had let them down. They lost their home because of me and I didn't even have the damn courage to get it back. I wanted to end it. And then you showed up ... "  
Carl had never heard this side of the story. He was terrified at the thought that Negan might not have come out of the bedroom one morning. Carl had no idea what he would do. He didn't want to think about it.  
"Forget it," Carl said firmly. "You're back. The Saviors are back. Everything's fine."  
Carl then felt Negan's hand wrap around his shoulders and grip him tightly.


	13. Chapter 13

"Negan?" 

"Hm?" 

,,I'm cold." 

Negan sighed irritably. 

"You should have dressed warmly. Am I your fucking dad ?! " 

"You're too old for that ..." 

Negan just snorted and continued driving. 

The entire convoy was on its way to Alexandria. It was cold all day. The roads came a steep road at night, and with the factory not yet repaired and the others sleeping on the ground, Carl was frozen. He only had thin T-shirts and shirts, nothing to really warm up. And it wasn't better in the car. Carl hoped that by visiting Alexandria, he would be able to get home and pack some warmer clothes. After all, autumn was approaching. 

,,Whats the plan?" 

,, As in Hilltop. We go through the gate, jump out and kill them. According to the map you drew, their house should be near the gate. I'm going to park with this truck in their fucking living room. " 

Carl stopped. 

"Are we going to break through the gate with this truck?" 

Negan grinned. 

,,You are afraid?" 

Carl took a deep breath. He knew what the gate in Alexandria looked like. It was not a concrete wall. Just sheet metal and mesh on the rail. The truck they were sitting in was the largest Saviors had. 

So he shook his head and leaned back in his seat. 

"Good boy," Negan nodded and turned onto the path that led to Alexandria. In the rearview mirror, Carl could see the entire column behind them. Again, everyone was traveling. 

Not far from the beginning of the road to Alexandria, everyone stopped. The trucks lined up side by side, the engines remaining running. 

Carl took a breath. So here it was. The next day, the second raid. 

,,Prepared?" 

Carl nodded. 

"Yeah, I'm ready ..." 

"Can you drive?" 

Carl was surprised by the question. 

"Yeah, they taught me that ..." 

"And do you want the honor?" Negan asked solemnly, tapping his hand on the steering wheel. 

"Really?" Carl asked enthusiastically. "I ... I didn't expect that." 

"Just do it," Negan winked. "But you'll have to go over me ..." 

Carl just laughed. There was enough space in the cab to climb over Negan to the driver's seat as Negan moved to his old seat. 

"Just hit that gate, please. I don't want to end up with a truck on the roof. " 

Carl just rolled his eyes and looked at the truck to his left, which was driven by Arat. 

She just smirked at him and nodded toward Alexandria. 

Well, Carl could handle that. So he just shifted into gear and stepped on the pedal. 

The gate of Alexandria approached every second. Out of the corner of his eye, Carl saw in the rearview mirror that the other trucks were keeping their distance. Carl gripped the steering wheel tightly, his foot still on the pedal. He could have done it. He had to. 

Negan´s hand appeared on Carl´s right hand and clasped his palm. 

"Get us in," Negan smiled. "And then to the right way. I want the truck in their fucking house." 

Carl nodded. The gate was barely meters away. 

And then hit the gate. 

Carl had a lot to do to keep the speed, the steering wheel and himself in the seat. Finally, with Negan's help, he turned truck to the army house, ignoring the people running around, and drove into it without hesitation. 

The house couldn't withstand the impact of the truck, and pieces of planks and splinters flew into the air. Carl stepped hard on the brake. The truck creaked to a halt in place. 

Carl exhaled and looked around. 

The house was almost torn to pieces. One wall remained, the rest was torn down, lying on the ground in ruins. Negan handed Carl a rifle, and they both quickly stepped out. 

Carl saw several soldiers running from the back of the settlement. Carl hid behind the remaining wall, aimed, and hit one of them. Others fell to the ground in a few moments as well. 

Negan patted him on the back and nodded forward. 

"Come on, we need to get to Prick before he calls his corps of police idiots." 

Carl nodded, tossing his rifle over his shoulder. But then he stopped on the spot. There was something in the truck that might come in handy. 

When they ran to the main spot with the other Saviors, Dad and the other police members were on the scene. Three of them were armed. 

Carl was strangely pleased to notice Dad's horror when he saw Negan coming as the rest of the Saviors surrounded him and také their wapons away. 

"No ... You're supposed to be dead!" cried Dad. 

"I'm glad to see you, too, Prick," Negan winked. "Imagine, I was visiting Hilltop. I haven't met very nice people. But then I came across a guy, what they tried to burn down my factory. Do you have any useful information? " 

"Go to hell!" 

Carl sighed. He knew his dad wouldn't say anything. 

Negan just waved, and Simon dragged the man captured to the Hilltop ahead. 

"So, now you're going to tell me which of those idiots is the leader. If he's not here, we'll get around all the corpses. I want to know who the fuck it is! " 

The man knocked incredibly. Carl was convinced for a moment that he would not get the word out. 

"Won't you talk again?" 

Negan seemed to reach for his weapon, but Carl stepped forward and handed Negan a bat. 

"I thought it might come in handy," he said softly. 

Negan smiled broadly and pulled the bat toward him. 

"So, you already know that pretty lady," he said as he turned to the man on the ground. 

"Carl?!" 

Carl turned to his dad, who seemed to have finally noticed him. The terror in his eyes was fascinating. 

"What ... What are you doing here? With him?" 

Carl shrugged. 

"When I left, I wandered around for a while. Then I found Negan. " 

"He should have been dead!" 

Carl sharpened. And he was not alone. 

,,Really? And why are you so sure? ”Negan asked coldly, stepping forward. 

Carl couldn't help as Dad watched the bat in Negan's hand. He looked around and his gaze stopped on the man on the ground, staring at Dad. 

And then Carl realized. 

"You're the leader, aren't you," Carl breathed in shock. 

Negan stopped on the spot, his eyes darting between Carl and Rick. 

"What the fuck do you mean?" 

"That's why Dad let those people here so willingly! I told you. This must have been done by someone who hates you. And who else could it be? " 

Negan went to the soldier lying on the ground and grabbed his hair roughly. 

"Is that him?" He asked sharply, pointing his bat at Dad. 

The soldier nodded quickly. Negan threw him to the ground and turned to Dad. 

"So it's you ..." 

Dad's attitude seemed to change at once. His expression hardened. 

"Yeah, it was me. You got what you deserved. For Glenn, for Abraham. All the people you killed! " 

Negan laughed madly. 

"Why didn't it occur to me right away. So you deceived your people? Didn't you give them some shit about the vaccine, which will save their lives? And that's just so you can be here as a sheriff and dig in the dirt? " 

"I just got rid of a bastards like you," Dad shouted back. "Nothing made me happier than taking back everything you stole from us and throwing your damn bat into the fire!" 

Carl saw it about a hundredth of a second before it happened. As Dad began talking about the bat, Negan's expression twisted into pure anger. 

"So it was you ... You took my Lucille ..." 

"I'd do it again," Dad hissed. 

Negan took a few breaths, as if trying to calm down. 

,,Good. I didn't expect it to be so fucking personal ... " 

"Carl ... Why the hell are you with him? What have you got to do with this? ”Dad snapped. 

,,Me? I joined the Saviors, "Carl said simply, enjoying the horror in Dad's eyes. 

"Come on, don't talk about yourself so low," Negan warned, taking him by the shoulders. "You were the one who put it all together." 

Carl watched with a strange warm feeling as several Saviors nodded around them. 

"What ... What does he mean?" Dad asked, confused, looking around. 

"Carl was the one who found me and led me to the other Saviors. And because you're a fucking bastard and you destroyed my Lucille, Carl made another one for me. You should be proud of him! "he added sarcastically. 

,,You? Was that you? How could you!" 

Carl just rolled his eyes. He was not in the mood for moral preaching. The moral dilemma ended when he kill people at Hilltop. 

"We won," Carl said simply. 

"I won't let him win," Dad said coldly, a crazy gleam in his eye. "Not a second time." 

"I was counting on it," Negan nodded, tapping Carl's shoulder. "Can you?" 

Carl nodded and took the rifle on his back and aimed at Dad. 

"Really, Carl?" His dad laughed coldly. "What did he promise you? He's using you, can't you see! He just wants you for a dirty job." 

Carl felt Negan lean closer. 

"Do you think he means the same dirty work as me? If you were interested, I would have a very dirty job for you later ... " 

Carl saw Dad's disgusted look. He couldn't hear them, but he probably knew what they were talk about. 

"So that's it? Are you sleeping with him? Is that why you're serving him now? " 

"It's getting fucking boring," Negan said, pulling away from Carl. "Finish it, we have another job." 

Carl looked into Dad's eyes. Maybe he was looking for fear, regret? But all he saw there was hatred. 

And so Carl fired.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, my dear readers, this is the end of this story. I have now developed a somewhat unconventional topic, other than usual. But paring remains. Thank you all for the beautiful comments and I hope to see you again next time :)

"I need a drink ..." 

Carl followed Negan down the factory to the former bedroom. The room was constantly undergoing a kind of renovation, throwing up broken items and replacing them with what the Saviors had acquired elsewhere. So far it meant that there was only a bed and a sofa and a bottle of alcohol on a small table. But anything better than nothing. 

Negan went to the table without a word, took two glasses, and poured half of the bourbon. Carl accepted one of the glasses with gratitude and drank it almost on ex. 

Carl knew he would usually get scathing comments about his age and the onset of alcoholism. Even in their old dilapidated house in the woods, Negan had a bottle or two hidden, and sometimes, when it was a good day, they shared a glass by the fireplace. But now Negan was silent. Carl was grateful for that. 

The Saviors won. Carl had no illusions that no one from Alexandria or the surrounding settlements would try revenge. After all, Rick Grimes was their leader. 

Now they will have to find a new one. Or finally acknowledge that their true leader is Negan. Unfortunately, Carl didn't believe they would realize this thing in the coming days. 

,,Are you okay?" 

Carl shook his head. He wasn't okay. But he hasn't been most of the time since the whole apocalypse began. 

Negan nodded. With a sigh, Carl sat down on the sofa. The adrenaline of the day was slowly fading, and Carl suddenly felt tired. It was as if the events of the last two days had finally fallen on him. 

Carl snatched the warm feeling on his shoulders. He raised his head and saw Negan taking off his jacket and placing it around Carl's shoulders. 

"Thanks," Carl muttered, pulling his warm jacket closer to his body. 

"Carl, really, are you okay?" 

Carl was surprised by the worry and care. But he was grateful for her, even if he didn't admit it out loud. 

Negan poured the bourbon into his and Carl's glass and placed the bottle on the floor beside the sofa. He then sat down on the ground opposite Carl and stared at him. 

"You haven't spoken since you left Alexandria. This is not healthy. " 

"And do you think shooting my dad in the head is healthy?" Carl snapped, suddenly angry. 

Negan visibly winced. Carl sighed and ruffled the hair that fell to his face. 

"I'm sorry. I don't want ... I don't want to yell at you ... " 

Negan leaned on Carl's knees and leaned closer. 

"You know I wouldn't force you if you said no." 

Carl nodded. 

,,I know. I did it because I wanted to do it. It's just ... The others were strangers, I didn't care. I didn't fucking care if I or someone else killed them. This was different ... But I wanted to do it ... " 

Negan nodded slowly. 

"He wouldn't leave us alone," Carl continued, sipping his bourbon and talk as if he had to get everything out of him at once. 

"No, probably not. I don't think your decision to join us was very pleasing to him. " 

Carl shook his head. No way. 

"What would you like, Carl, now?" 

Carl thought. After two glasses of bourbon, it seemed more difficult than usual to think. But the slightly numb feeling was very pleasant. 

"I want to feel good," Carl whispered, closing the distance between him and Negan in one motion. 

Carl felt a burning mixture of alcohol and excitement spill through his veins. It was as always as if Carl could never get enough of kissing Negan. He ran his hands through Negan's hair and pressed closer until he sat on Negan's lap, both on the ground. 

"It suits you," Negan grinned, removing his leather jacket from Carl's shoulders. 

Carl had both his jacket and T-shirt under it removed. With a soft sigh, he enjoyed the feeling of Negan's rough palms on his bare chest. 

"Will you give it to me?" 

"Hm?" 

Carl laughed softly and kissed Negan deeply again. 

"Jacket," he repeated after a moment. "Will you give it to me?" 

"I'll give you whatever you want," Negan growled as Carl wiped his hips against the growing bulge in Negan's pants. 

Carl liked the idea very much. Ideas raced through his darkened mind, one after another. 

"What else would you give me?" 

Negan kissed Carl's bare chest, kissing every place he reached. 

"You're a tough little thing, aren't you?" 

Carl just laughed and narrowed his eyes happily as he felt a slight bite on his neck. 

"Why did you come back then, to that house ..." 

Carl needed a moment to realize that Negan was talking to him again. 

,,What do you mean?" 

Negan chuckled darkly, his palms slowly sliding down to Carl's hips. 

"When I first kicked you out, I told you to fuck off. But you came back with that fucking weak excuse that you wanted to go away for a while ... Why did you come back? " 

Carl didn't think this was the best time for complicated talks. Alcohol circulated through his body, his pants were too tight, and all he wanted to talk about was where he finally intended to have sex with Negan. 

"It doesn't matter, Carl muttered, swaying his hips, trying to divert Negan's attention. "We can talk later ..." 

Negan's palms slowly pointed under Carl's jeans, gripping his ass tightly. 

"I see that," Negan chuckled obscenely, licking Carl's hard nipple. "But I want to talk now, honey ... Tell me how it was ..." 

Carl sighed a little overly irritated, stopped the movement of his hips, and rested his forehead on Negan's shoulder. 

"Okay ... I don't know. It's just ... It started when we met in the woods ... Then the army and everyone had their beautiful lives with a white picket fence. But I didn't want this. It was as if something was twisting inside me. I hated watching everyone behave as if everything was fine. Then I found out where you lived and I thought revenge would do it. But..." 

Carl sighed and wrapped his arms around Negan. 

"Go on ...," Negan whispered, stroking Carl's hair. 

"Nothing was right. The people around me were not right. Damn, you weren't okay either! I couldn't do it ... Then I came home, Dad asked, kept talking about having to live like everyone else ... So I went to see you ... " 

"Such a perverted romantic," Negan chuckled with interest. "What would the people around us say if they knew what little pervert you were ..." 

"I don't need everyone to know," Carl said weakly. 

"But they probably already know ... They saw you, how quite willing and helpful you were for me ... I think most people know what's going on ..." 

"What do you mean?" Carl asked, feeling Negan's hands return to his ass and pull him closer. 

"I saw them looking at you ... You looked so nice when you led the attack today ... I heard what they were afraid of. That you can't do it. That they will have to protect you and save your pretty young ass. But you showed them who you really are, didn't you? You were in front, by my side, and you led your people forward ... " 

Carl's eyes narrowed at the idea. He liked the feeling of proving that he had succeeded. What could have been better than the respect of a gang of bloodthirsty invaders. 

"Probably everyone is thinking about where you follow me... And what a dirty job you do for me ..." 

Dirty work. Carl loved how so many things could be hidden in two words. He leaned closer without hesitation. 

"You can show me the dirty work for now," Carl nodded, gently biting Negan's earlobe. 

After all, Dad had always taught him that hard work would pay off in the end.


End file.
